Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Words Kanji Guides About

麻薬 (まやく) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

麻ま薬やく

ま

や

く

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

1

noun

narcotic; drug; dope

Refers to illegal or controlled substances, especially narcotics. Often used in legal, medical, and news contexts.

麻ま薬やくの使し用ようは法ほう律りつで禁きん止しされている。
The use of narcotics is prohibited by law.

彼かれ

は

麻ま

薬やく

密みつ

売ばい

の

容よう

疑ぎ

で

逮たい

捕ほ

さ

れ

た

。

He was arrested on suspicion of drug trafficking.

Written forms

麻ま薬やくUsage100%
Standard kanji spelling; high frequency in news and general use.
痲ま薬やく
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form.

Kanji

麻hemp, flax, numb
薬medicine, chemical, enamel
痲measles, paralysis

Similar words

薬やく物ぶつ
薬物 is a broader term for drugs or chemical substances, including medicines, while 麻薬 specifically refers to narcotics and illegal drugs.
覚かく醒せい剤ざい
覚醒剤 refers to stimulants, a specific class of illegal drugs, whereas 麻薬 is a more general term for narcotics.

Etymology

Compound of 麻 (ma, 'hemp; numbing') and 薬 (yaku, 'drug, medicine'), originally referring to drugs derived from hemp or those with numbing effects. The spelling is conventional and not ateji.